French FM slams Iran stance on nuclear fuel deal
Updated: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Photographer: US State Department Photo
Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister
14:50GMT—9:50AM/EST
Washington, 18 November (WashingtonTV)—French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Wednesday described as “extremely negative” comments by Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki that Tehran would not ship its low-enriched uranium abroad.
“There is a clear and negative response from the Iranians,” he said in Jerusalem, according to AFP.
Kouchner said that while the remarks were not encouraging, France would continue to speak with the Iranians on the issue.
Mottaki told the semi-official ISNA news agency today that Iran had reviewed the United Nations-brokered nuclear fuel deal from a “technical and economic aspect”, and determined that sending its fuel out of the country was not feasible.
Under the draft deal, Iran would ship most of its low-enriched uranium abroad for further processing, for end use in a research reactor in Tehran.
Mottaki said that Iran would consider a simultaneous fuel swap inside its borders.
The United States has warned Iran that it faces a “very short” window to submit its formal response to the deal.
Sources: Agence France-Presse, ISNA
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